Google is teaming up with Betabox Learning, a leading provider of mobile STEM labs, to launch a STEM tour of North Carolina school districts. The tour begins this week with middle schools in Caldwell County Schools and then schools across the state will also benefit from hands-on learning experiences for students in grades K-12.

“We are grateful for the partners who help provide resources and opportunities for our students," said Superintendent Don Phipps. "Google is an established partner who has had a tremendous impact on our work. We look forward to the addition of Betabox and how the combined efforts will help not only students in Caldwell County Schools but students across the state. These STEM efforts are critical and the ability to leverage resources with partners like Google and Betabox helps us create experiences that we would simply be unable to do on our own.”  

The partnership aims to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technologists by directly bringing the latest in computer science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education to the classroom.  

The kick-off event was held on Saturday, March 11 at the Martin Luther King Center in Lenoir, home of Google's NC-based data center. More than 200 children and parents attended the event and enjoyed free food, giveaways and interactive STEM activities, including the crowd-pleasing robot dog, drone displays, and more. 

Betabox Learning directly brings hands-on experiential learning opportunities to schools with mobile STEM labs. The company's labs have the latest technology to engage students in hands-on, project-based learning. Google's investment in this tour increases the accessibility of Betabox STEM experiences, building upon the success of Betabox Learning's existing STEM programs in North Carolina, which operate in 30 districts in partnership with NCDPI and the General Assembly.

The STEM tour will conduct a tour of Caldwell County Schools throughout March and early April.